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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Aircraft Tu-2

Creating a TU-2 (front-line bomber) began in late 1939 the
design team, headed by Tupolev. In January 1941 came to the test,
prototype, designated "103". In May of that year began testing
an improved version of its "103U", which contrasted with a strong
defensive armament, changed the location of the crew, which consisted of pilot,
navigator (in case of need could be the shooter), gunner-radio operator and gunner. The
aircraft was equipped with high-altitude engines AM-37.At the trials aircraft
"103" and "103U" showed outstanding performance. The
speed at medium and high altitude, range, bomb load and defensive armament,
they might significantly superior to the Pe-2. At altitudes of more than 6
miles they flew faster than almost all mass-produced fighter aircraft, both
Soviet and German, second only to the domestic MiG-3. In July 1941 it was
decided to launch "103U" in the series. However, in terms of the
war and the evacuation of a large-scale enterprises to organize the production
of aircraft engines AM-37 failed. Therefore, designers had to remake the
aircraft to other motors. They were M-82 A.D.Shvedkova who have just
started to be issued in series. Testing a new version of the aircraft,
called "103V", then TU-2, began in December 1941, and in 1942 came
down the assembly line the first production car. The plant has already
produced 80 TU-2, when the government issued a decision on replacing it with a
Yak-9. The fallacy of this decision became apparent very soon, and
production of the Tu-2 resumed on another plant. The first bombers went
there in 1943. From the previously released, they differed more powerful
engines AL-82FN, enhanced defensive weapons (machine guns instead of 7.62 mm
placed 12.7 mm), a simplified design. Planes of this type were used on the
fronts since 1944.Production of this type of bombers continued a few years
after the war, until they were replaced by jet bombers. A total of 2547
aircraft built.